Renys

Renys is a chain of small department stores with 14 locations throughout Maine. Offering quality merchandise at affordable prices since 1949 has made Renys a vital part of Maine culture.

Starting in 2003, this family-run business has changed their facility maintenance and building practices to incorporate energy efficiency. It began with incorporating efficiency investment to improve customer and worker thermal comfort. These included high efficiency HVAC replacements and high R-value building envelop upgrades.

From there, the management began to incorporate customer satisfaction and energy savings into optional upgrades. Thus, over the past year, the company has worked with Efficiency Maine on three projects to install more efficient lighting and lighting controls at retail stores and at the company’s distribution center. Renys’ efficiency improvements include:

Enhanced maintenance program for HVAC systems

New high efficiency rooftop HVAC units

High efficiency boiler

Exterior metal halide lights

High efficiency warehouse doors

Lighting designs and retrofit using T5 fixtures

In addition, Renys has almost completed its fourth Efficiency Maine project in its 55-year-old Bridgton location, where the company doubled the size of the store, and is installing energy efficient lighting throughout.

Renys is as an example of what small businesses can achieve with energy efficiency. Through managerial leadership, examining costs and savings potentials, and taking advantage of resources like Efficiency Maine, businesses of all sizes can become stronger by adopting efficiency as a core value in their operating, maintenance and procurement practices.